Gastric tube



Oct. 16, 1962 s. D. THORNTON, JR

GASTRIC TUBE Filed Dec. 9, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 30 INVENTOR.

STEPHEN 0 THOR/VTO/VJR BY 4? [777M Oct. 16, 1962 s. D. THORNTON, JR3,058,472

GASTRIC TUBE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 9, 1958 INVEN TOR. STEPHEN D.THO/\WrO/v/ JR.

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United States Patent Ofifice 3,053,472 Patented Oct. 16, 1962 3,058,472GASTRIC TUBE Stephen D. Thornton, In, North Hollywood, Calif., assignorto Don Baxter, Inc, Glendale, Calif., is corporation of Nevada FiledDec. 9, 1958, Ser. No. 779,245 7 Claims. (Cl. 128348) This inventionrelates to a gastric tube, and particularly to a tube which is used forintermittently feeding a patient.

-In order to feed a premature infant, or a seriously ill patient, agastric or feeding tube is usually passed through the nose and esophagusof the patient into the stomach. Since the patient must be fed severaltimes each day, the tube is frequently left in place. When this is done,foreign material may enter the open tube, or stomach pressures may causeregurgitation through the tube.

It is therefore the object of this invention to provide a gastric tubehaving a convenient, eifective device for closing its open end.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the followingdescription of the preferred form of the invention, given with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the adapter 16 shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view, similar to FIGURE 3, showing amodification.

Referring now to the drawings, the gastric tube 11 has a rounded, closeddistal end 12 and a proximal end 13. The tube 11 is preferably made ofan extruded, thermoplastic material, such as polyvinylchloride orpolyethylene. The wall of the tube has calibration marks 15 at desiredpositions along its length to indicate predetermined distances from thedistal tip. Near the distal tip, openings 14 are provided in the wall ofthe tube 11.

The adapter 16 is firmly attached to the proximal end 1-3 of the tube11. This adapter is preferably made of a A plastic similar incomposition to the tube 11. The body 17 of the adapter has a passage :18which is axially aligned with the passage 19 of the tube 11. One end ofthe passage 18 is adapted to receive the proximal end of the tube 11,and tapers outwardly to form a lead-in section 20. The other end of thepassage 18 has a lead-in section 21 and a tapered section 22, the latterbeing adapted to receive a male needle adapter.

At the top, a strap or branch 23 extends outwardly from the adapter boly17. The strap 23 is made of a flexible material, such as a plastisol orother soft, plastic material. Curved, radiused surfaces 24, 24a, and 24bare provided at the junction of the strap 23 with the body 17. At theouter end, the strap 23 widens into a pad 25. A plug 26 extends upwardlyfrom the free end portion or pad 25 and has a rounded end 27.Preferably, the plug 26 is flexible and is about the same size as a maleneedle adapter so that the passage 18 will not be unduly distorted bythe plug. The other end of the pad 25 serves as a plug manipulatingfinger piece and has a finger intercepting stop or finger grip 28 whichaids in pulling the plug 26 from its position in the tapered passagesection 22 of the adapter.

In the modification shown in FIGURE 4, the adapter 31 has a body 32having a tubular passage 33. The upper part of the passage 33 has atapered section 34 adapted to receive a standard needle adapter. Thetapered section terminates at its upper end in a lead-in section 35. Thelower end of the passage 33 has a tapered lead-in section 36 and anenlarged cylindrical passage 37 into which the proximal end 13 of thetube '11 is cemented. The adapter passage 33 is preferably the same sizeas the passage 19 of the tube 11 so that a smooth-walled junction isformed between passages 19 and 33.

The strap 37a is attached to the body 32 at a point substantially belowthe top of the body. The strap 37a is made of flexible material, such asa plastisol or other soft plastic material. Curved, radiused surfaces 38and 39 are provided at the junction of the strap 37a with the body 32.At the outer end, the strap 37a widens into a pad 40. A plug 41 risesout of the pad 40. The rounded end 42 of the plug 41 has a protrudingtip 4-3.

In use, the tube 11 is passed through the nose of the patient and workeddown the esophagus until a calibration mark 15 indicates that the distalend 12 of the tube has reached the stomach. A syringe containing food ormedicament, or the adapter of an administration set which is connectedto a container of liquid nutrient, is then telescoped into the taperedpassage '22. After feeding, the needle adapter is removed and the plug26- placed tightly in the passage 22. Subsequent feedings of the patientmay be accomplished by merely removing the plug 26 from the passage 22and again connecting a source of nutrient or medicament. The smoothcontinuous contours of the passages '18, 19, 21, and 22 prevent theaccumulation of food particles or droplets. if the gastric tube is to beused only once, the plug 26 may be removed by cutting or tearing thesoft, flexible strap 23. In normal use however, the radiused surfaces24, 24a and 24b will prevent the strap 23 from bing torn off of the body17 In the modification of FIGURE 4, a smooth uniform passage is providedthrough the connector 31. The strap 37a is also connected to the body 32at a point substantially below the top so that a lock-type syringe canbe at tached to the adapter 31 with strap 37a serving as a stop for thesyringe. 'I he strap 37a is provided with radiused surfaces 38 and 39 sothat it will not be torn off of the body 32 in normal use. The roundedend 42 of the plug 41 has a protruding tip or gate mark 43. By gatingthe mold at this point, the surfaces of the plug 41 which contact thetapered bore section 34 are kept smooth and free of gatemarks andparting lines.

The gastric tube of this invention may also be used for draining oraspirating the stomach or upper intestines of a patient for eithertherapeutic or diagnostic purposes.

Iclaim:

1. A medical tube for the intermittent administration of fluidscomprising: an elongated, flexible, transparent, tubular body having aproximal end and a distal end; a cylindrical bore through said body; atleast one opening near the distal end of the body communicating with thebore; a one-piece, plastic connector attached to the proximal end of thebody and extending axially therefrom, said connector including agenerally cylindrical body, a flexible strap and a plug; an axial borethrough said connector body, said bore being coaxial with the bore ofthe elongated, tubular body and extending axially therefrom; a portionof the connector bore having outwardly tapering walls and terminating ina mouth located at the end of the connector body opposite the tubularbody; a flexible strap integrally formed with the connector body, extending outwardly therefrom and terminating in a pad of increased widthspaced from the connector body; a plug integrally formed with said padand projecting therefrom in a direction opposite the tubular bodymember, said plug having an enlarged base adjacent the pad, a small tipdistal from said pad and a generally conical outer surface between saidtip and base, said plug having a diameter greater than the thickness ofthe adapter wall and being stiff and less flexible than the adapterwall, said plug tip having a diameter smaller than the mouth of theconnector body and said base having a diameter greater than said mouth,whereby telescoping of the plug into the adapter bore deforms a portionof the adapter adjacent the mouth radially outwardly; and a portion ofthe pad extending beyond the plug to provide a means for inserting theplug in and for removing the plug from the adapter bore without touchingsaid plug.

2. in an elongated, flexible, fluid feeding, single passage-providing,annular walled tube for introduction by way of the nose into the stomachof a premature infant or sick person for the periodical feeding thereof,'said tube having an axially open, proximal end and a fluid,outlet-providing distal end; the combination of means for facilitatingthe discharge of fluid into the axially open, proximal, tube passage endfrom the discharge fitting of a syringe or other supply source, and forpreventing the entry of foreign matter into said proximal tube end whenthe tube is not in use; said means comprising a molded flexiblebody-providing adapter of substantially greater cross-section than saidtube and having an axial passage extending therethrough, said passageproviding inlet and outlet ends, the proximal end of said tube securedin the outlet-providing end portion of said adapter passage so that thetube passage constitutes a continuation of the adapter passage, saidadapter passage being enlarged from a point adjacent the proximal tubeend to its inlet end to embrace a fluid supply fitting, a flexiblebranch extending laterally from said adapter body adjacent the inlet endof the latter, an upstanding plug of greater cross-section than theenlarged portion of said adapter passage and functionally integral withsaid branch, said plug being spaced from the adapter a distance greaterthan the length of said plug, and said branch being readily bendableupon itself to invert said plug and admit of insertion of the latterinto the entry end of said adapter passage to seal the latter againstthe entry of foreign matter when the tube, although remaining applied tothe user, is not in use for feeding purposes.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2, and said adapter branchproviding a free end portion of increased cross-section andsubstantially reduced flexibility, said plug rising from theadapter-adjacent part of said free end por-' tion, and the outer part ofsaid free end portion which is spaced from said plug constituting aplug-manipulating finger piece whereby the operators hand need nevercontact the plug or the adapter passage entry to contaminate the same.

4. The combination set forth in claim 2, and said adapter branchproviding a free end portion of increased cross-section andsubstantially reduced flexibility, said plug rising from theadapter-adjacent. part of said free end portion, the outer part of saidfree end portion which is spaced from said plug constituting aplug-manipulating finger piece whereby the operators hand need nevercontact the plug or the adapter passage entry to contaminate the same,and a finger intercepting stop extending from the top surface of saidfinger piece-providing portion of said branch and spaced from the freeend of the latter and from said plug.

5. The combination set forth in claim 2, and the proximal tubeend-receiving portion of the adapter passage being enlarged byapproximately tube wall thickness whereby to provide an internal,annular, tube stop shoulder and to provide communicating tube andadapter passage portions of approximately the same diameter so that theproximal tube end does not constitute a fluid intercepting shoulder whenthe tube is in use.

6. The combination set forth in claim 2, wherein the passageinlet-providing end of the adapter body extends beyond said branch toprovide an area for the attachment of a lock type fluid-supplyingsyringe, said branch constituting a limiting stop for that type orsyringe.

7. In an elongated, flexible, fluid feeding, single passageproviding,annular walled tube for introduction by Way of the nose into the stomachof a premature infant or sick person for the periodical feeding thereof,said tube having an axially open proximal end and a fluidoutlet-providing distal end; the combination of means for facilitatingthe discharge of fluid into the axially open, proximal, tube passage endfrom the discharge fitting of a syringe or other supply source, and forpreventing the entry of foreign mat ter into said proximal tube end whenthe tube is not in use; said means comprising a unitary, one-piececonnector attached to the proximal end of the tube, said connectorincluding a tubular body, a flexible strap and a plug, said body havinga flexible wall thicker and stiffer than the tube wall, and an axialbore defined by the connector body wall; a section of the connector bodyhaving a cylindrical bore telescoped over a portion of the tube andattached thereto; a second section of the connector body having anoutwardly tapering bore terminating in an open mouth of enlargeddiameter; a flexible strap attached to the outer surface of theconnector body, extending outwardly therefrom, and terminating in afinger piece providing a pad portion of increased width and thickness; aplug projecting from the portion of said pad which is nearest saidconnector body and having an enlarged base adjacent the pad, said padconstituting a plug-manipulating finger piece providing an area removedfrom said plug so that the latter will not be contaminated by contactwith the operators fingers; a plug tip of lesser diameter than the basedistal from said pad and a generally conical, outer plug surface betweensaid base and tip, said outer plug surface being adapted to fit withinthe outwardly tapering connector bore section and said plug base havinga diameter greater than the mouth of the adapter bore, wherebytelescoping of the plug into the connector bore deforms a section of theadapter Walls radially outward.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,800Gale Oct. 16, 1844 2,200,395 Lobl May 14, 1940 2,687,731 Iarussi Aug.31, 1954 2,763,266 Evans Sept. 18, 1956 2,777,490 Munk Jan. 15, 19572,801,771 Sethne et al. Aug. 6, 1957 2,874,882 Sethne et al. Feb. 24,1959 2,991,913 Goth July 11, 1961

